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Thunderstorms and Lightning
Also referred to as a lightning storm, a thunderstorm is a weather form wherein thunder and lightning are present. Thunderstorms, most especially if accompanied by heavy rains and downburst winds, pose hazards to people and the environment.
5,088 Questions
Man who struck by lightning 7 times?
Roy Sullivan holds the record for being struck by lightning the most number of times, at seven documented strikes. Despite surviving all the strikes, he suffered various health issues and psychological effects as a result of the lightning strikes. Sullivan's remarkable experiences have made him a unique figure in lightning strike statistics.
A person will see a flash of lightning before they hear the thunder that goes with it because?
Light travels faster than sound, so the light from the lightning reaches our eyes almost instantly, whereas the sound of thunder takes longer to reach our ears because it travels slower. This difference in speed results in the flash of lightning being seen before the accompanying thunder is heard.
What instrument is used to measure precipitation type?
The meter used to measure preciptation is called a rain gauge. Rain gauges only measure rainfall not preciptation because precipitation includes mostly anything falling from the sky. I do not believe there is one device to measure all types of precipitation. Although I believe there is such a thing as a hail pad to measure hail I am not certain.
How should you act in a thunderstorm?
During a thunderstorm, it's best to seek shelter indoors in a sturdy building, avoiding isolated trees, open fields, and bodies of water. Stay away from windows, doors, and metal objects, and do not use electrical appliances or landline phones. If caught outside, crouch down low, keep a distance from tall objects, and avoid water.
What kind of storms does India have?
India experiences a variety of storms, including tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, dust storms, and hailstorms. Tropical cyclones, known as cyclones in the region, are particularly common during the monsoon season, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds. Thunderstorms often occur during the pre-monsoon and monsoon seasons, while dust storms and hailstorms are more frequent in regions like North India.
During high winds do you open windows and doors?
No, it is not advisable to open windows and doors during high winds as it can create a risk of damage from debris and can also increase the pressure inside the house, potentially causing structural damage. It is recommended to keep windows and doors closed and secure during high winds to protect your home and belongings.
Why is there a gap between seeing lighting and hearing thunder?
Lightning is a visible phenomenon that travels at the speed of light, while sound from thunder travels much slower at the speed of sound. This difference in speed is why we see the lightning first before hearing the thunder, creating a gap between the two perceptions.
Difference between blizzard and hail storms?
A blizzard is a storm with snow, A Hail storm is a storm with (wait for it) Yes hail i.e frozen rain. a blizzard is way stronger a blizzard once hit me it was really strong half of our roof came off and hail, hail can get up to to the size of your hand blizzard chunks are as big as your head
Is time slower at the edge of the universe?
Time is not slower at the edge of the universe. Time is a constant and does not change based on location in the universe. However, the passage of time can be affected by factors such as gravity and velocity.
In all effect there is little evidence that lightning striking a body of water will create a splash. This is due to there having being very little research on this topic as lightning doesn't often strike over bodies of water mainly due to the fact that bodies of water are usually cooler than land during the warmer summer months that thunderstorms are prevalent. It is for this reason thunderstorms are less likely to develop over water than over land. Another reason why there is little research on water and lightning is that lightning tends to strike the highest point and water is generally the lowest point around. Think of it this way. If you are in a boat conducting lightning research it will be the boat that gets hit and not the water.
Actually, lightning does not travel from the clouds to the ground as many people speculate. It actually is shot off from both sources (the ground and sky) and meet in the middle. Therefore, lightning would not nessecarily make a splash in the water. It might heat it up to boiling point and flash boil it, but there would be no splash. It is just like static electricity. There is no sign of a cut on your finger. Trust me, I study meterological science. :)
I would think, since the resulting thunder is an explosion caused by the rapidly expanding gasses, that there would be some splash, minute perhaps. So not the lightning itself, but the thunder maybe.
When the static discharge travels from the surface to the charged air, the point where it exits is superheated to many hundred degrees F. when this happens the water flash boils and it explodes, which looks like something just "hit" the surface with an object. In many years of sailing i have seen this only twice from a distance when the thunderstorm was over the open ocean. As an edit to the first answer, thunderstorms do form over bodies of water quite often. all you need for a thunderstorm is MIL. Moisture, Instability, Lift. lets see what we have over a body of water that has a mean temp of 70F. Moisture (check) Instability (check) sun heating the surface of the ocean creates warm water vapor) Lift (check) rising water vapor is its own lift mechanism.
Witness
Last night (20/11/08) I stood on a balcony overlooking a beach in Queensland, Australia, approx 50m from shore line, during a massive lightning and thunderstorm. As we were watching the show a bolt hit the water about 10 metres from the edge (60m from us). I can tell you, as can the other 30 people there who saw it that as well as a deafening 'crack' the water at impact exploded (splash) in what appeared to be a shower of light and sparks ... needless to say, the only thing that moved faster than the lightning bolt was the exodus from the balcony. So in direct answer to your question ... yes.
In a lightning storm if you feel your skin tingle or your hair stand on end what should you do?
If you feel your skin tingle or your hair stand on end during a lightning storm, it indicates that you are in imminent danger of being struck by lightning. In such a situation, you should crouch down on the balls of your feet, keep your feet close together, and cover your ears to reduce the risk of a side flash. Try to move to a safer location as soon as possible, away from open fields, tall trees, water bodies, and other exposed areas.
What if lightning struck down and you had a lightning rod on top of your house?
It may strike the lightning rod. A properly installed lightning rod will prevent a lightning strike from setting your house on fire, at least for the most part. The energy of the bolt is carried by the rod and the ground wire. This system "contains" the electric current by offering it a low resistance path to ground. If lightning strikes a tree, a power pole, or a house, it travels through the tree, pole or house. This high current can super heat that wood or other materials and cause them to explode or burst into flames. Damage will result, and very possibly a fire. The lightning rod minimizes the chances of extensive damage and fire in the event of a strike on a house.
A rainstorm typically occurs when warm, moist air rises and cools, leading to the condensation of water vapor into clouds. As the water droplets in the clouds grow heavier, they fall to the ground as rain. Rainstorms are often associated with cumulonimbus clouds and can happen in various regions around the world.
How are winds affected by areas of high pressure?
In zones where air descends back to the surface, the air is more dense than its surroundings and this creates a center of high atmospheric pressure. Since winds blow from areas ofhigh pressureto areas oflow pressure, winds spiral outward away from the high pressure. The Coriolis Effect deflects air toward the right in the northern hemisphere and creates a general clockwise rotation around the high pressure center. In the southern hemisphere the effect is just the opposite, and winds circulate in a counterclockwise rotation about the high pressure center. Such winds circulating around a high pressure center are calledanticyclonic windsand around a low pressure area they are calledcyclonic winds.
What are the different typhoon signals?
No. 1 - a disturbance is existing. Be alert. Classes are suspended for pre-school and primary levels. Winds of 30-60 kph. may be expected within 36 hours.
No. 2 - A disturbance is approaching. Stay indoors. Classes are suspended for pre-schoo, primary and elementary. Winds of 60 - 100 kph. may be expected within 24 hours.
No. 3 - disturbances is dangerous to locality. Everybody is advised to stay home. Classes in all levels are automatically suspended. Winds of 100 kph. to 185 kph. maybe expected within 18 hours.
No. 4 - Very strong winds of more than 185 kph. maybe expected within 12 hours.
Who was the mother of monsters in The Lightning Thief?
In "The Lightning Thief," the mother of monsters is Echidna. She is a creature from Greek mythology who is known for giving birth to many famous monsters like the Sphinx and Cerberus. Echidna is depicted as a half-woman, half-snake being.
Why does lightning hit people?
When charged particles in the storm clouds, Positive in the bottoms and Negative at the top, also known as the 'anvil', gather in clumps, they can be sent downwards in the form of lightning to connect to the positive charges in the Earth's soil. Lightning is 'lazy' and seeks a path of least resistance, and sometimes that path could be through a human body. They advise you not to stand next to trees because since they are tall, the lightning might decide to travel through them because they offer less resistance and it might hit you as well. Me, being a person who has experienced being struck by lightning can say that making yourself the tallest or largest object in the way of lightning is a foolish thing to do, because you will provide a path of least resistance for it to follow.
Are there any mtyhs about ball lightning?
Yes, there are several myths and misconceptions surrounding ball lightning, such as it being a form of supernatural or paranormal activity. However, scientists believe it is a natural phenomenon that occurs during thunderstorms when lightning interacts with the atmosphere. The exact mechanism behind ball lightning is still not fully understood.
Can You power a city on a bolt of lightning?
No, a single bolt of lightning does not contain enough energy to power an entire city. Lightning strikes have a very high voltage but their duration is very short, and the total energy produced is not sufficient for powering a city for an extended period of time.
What makes thunderstorms happen?
A thunderstorm does not become a tornado, it produces them. How exactly thunderstorm produce tornadoes, but this is the best theory so far.
First you need a special kind of thunderstorm called a supercell. This is a powerful, rotating thunderstorm. The rotation is especially strong at an updraft called a mesocyclone. If the strong strengthens fast enough a special kind of downdraft may descend from the back of the storm and wrap around the bottom part of the mesocyclone. This forces it to become smaller and can bring it down to the ground. As the rotation gets smaller it speeds up, producing a tornado.
This type of lightning ranges in color from red to yellow?
Red sprites are a type of lightning that can appear red, orange, or yellow in color. These upper atmospheric electrical discharges occur high above thunderstorm clouds and can be seen as a burst or flicker of light.
What is the lightning capital of the world?
One candidate for the "lightning capital of the world" is the state of Florida.
Its location just north of the Tropic of Cancer, between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, produces more thunderstorms than any other US state.
The city of Tampa, on the Gulf Coast, received an astounding 50,000 lightning strikes in one month. (June, 1994) One nickname for the city is "lightning capital of the nation."
Johannesburg, South Africa (one of the three capitals) also has a claim on the title. Lightning kills more than 260 people a year in South Africa.
The world location that receives the most lightning is actually the small landlocked country of Rwanda, near Lake Victoria in west Africa. Despite being only 1/6th the size of Florida, it receives more than twice as many lightning strikes per year.
What is the difference between normal storm and thunderstorm?
A normal storm is a generic term that can refer to any kind of storm, while a thunderstorm specifically includes lightning and thunder due to the presence of cumulonimbus clouds. Thunderstorms are a type of storm that can produce strong winds, heavy rain, lightning, and sometimes hail.
Why does thunder follow lightning by 5 seconds for every mile?
Because light travels more quickly than sound. Lightning may strike 1 mile from where you are and then 5 seconds later you will hear thunder. But if you were very close to where the lightning strikes, than you will hear the thunder at the same time as you see the lightning. Does that make sense?
